Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter

Continuum robots with structural compliance have promising potential to operate in unstructured environments. However, this structural compliance brings challenges to the controller design due to the existence of considerable uncertainties in the robot and its kinematic model. Typically, a large num...

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Main Authors: Li, Minhan, Kang, Rongjie, Branson, David T., Dai, Jian S.
Format: Article
Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2018
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50527/
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author Li, Minhan
Kang, Rongjie
Branson, David T.
Dai, Jian S.
author_facet Li, Minhan
Kang, Rongjie
Branson, David T.
Dai, Jian S.
author_sort Li, Minhan
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Continuum robots with structural compliance have promising potential to operate in unstructured environments. However, this structural compliance brings challenges to the controller design due to the existence of considerable uncertainties in the robot and its kinematic model. Typically, a large number of sensors are required to provide the controller the state variables of the robot, including the length of each actuator and position of the robot tip. In this paper, a model-free method based on an adaptive Kalman filter is developed to accomplish path tracking for a continuum robot using only pressures and tip position. As the Kalman filter operates only with a two-step algebraic calculation in every control interval, the low computational load and real-time control capability are guaranteed. By adding an optimal vector to the control law, buckling of the robot can also be avoided. Through simulation analysis and experimental validation, this control method shows good robustness against the system uncertainty and external disturbance, and lowers the number of sensors.
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institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
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publishDate 2018
publisher Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
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spelling nottingham-505272020-05-04T19:52:33Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50527/ Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter Li, Minhan Kang, Rongjie Branson, David T. Dai, Jian S. Continuum robots with structural compliance have promising potential to operate in unstructured environments. However, this structural compliance brings challenges to the controller design due to the existence of considerable uncertainties in the robot and its kinematic model. Typically, a large number of sensors are required to provide the controller the state variables of the robot, including the length of each actuator and position of the robot tip. In this paper, a model-free method based on an adaptive Kalman filter is developed to accomplish path tracking for a continuum robot using only pressures and tip position. As the Kalman filter operates only with a two-step algebraic calculation in every control interval, the low computational load and real-time control capability are guaranteed. By adding an optimal vector to the control law, buckling of the robot can also be avoided. Through simulation analysis and experimental validation, this control method shows good robustness against the system uncertainty and external disturbance, and lowers the number of sensors. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2018-02 Article PeerReviewed Li, Minhan, Kang, Rongjie, Branson, David T. and Dai, Jian S. (2018) Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 23 (1). pp. 286-297. ISSN 1083-4435 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8115276/ doi:10.1109/TMECH.2017.2775663 doi:10.1109/TMECH.2017.2775663
spellingShingle Li, Minhan
Kang, Rongjie
Branson, David T.
Dai, Jian S.
Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title_full Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title_fullStr Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title_full_unstemmed Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title_short Model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive Kalman filter
title_sort model-free control for continuum robots based on an adaptive kalman filter
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50527/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50527/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50527/